Rainy Afternoon

Rain, rain, go away...

It was raining.

Not the light rain of a summer shower. Or a gentle afternoon mist. It was a deluge. The skies had literally opened up, producing the raging torrent that was soaking Klaus to the skin. He looked up at the black clouds that had moved in with astonishing speed, turning the mid-afternoon skies black. The gusting wind caused the rain to come down in sheets.

How he hated rain. In many ways, it was the worst weather imaginable. Unlike the cold or snow, which one could at least prepare for with proper clothing. Not so with this sudden cloudburst caused by the right combination of summer heat, the proximity of a large body of water—namely the Atlantic Ocean—and his damned bad luck at being without any kind of shelter. Double damned bad luck because his fucking rented car had broken down leaving him to walk in search of a telephone.

I am never coming back to this fucking country again! Bloody Florida is worse than Alaska! Fucking heat, fucking humidity, fucking bugs, fucking hell!

A flash of lightning caused Klaus to look up. It was followed by rolling thunder. He pulled his up collar, hunching down into his suit coat as best he could to prevent the water running down the back of his neck. Just before the skies opened up, he had spotted a building up the road. He had gotten halfway between his car and his destination when it started to pour. He could actually see the edge of the storm front move up the road ahead of him.

Even the weather in this wretched country doesn't behave normally.

Klaus was surprised when he discovered that the motel he had been trudging toward was actually where he was supposed to be going. His car had broken down no more than a mile away from his ultimate destination.

Curse my Goddamn bloody fucking bad luck!

*

The woman behind the front desk gave the Major a sympathetic look as he tromped into the lobby, dripping wet. To her credit, she did not say the obvious, "Got caught in the rain?" Instead, she smiled and said, "If you need a phone, it's just there." She pointed to the phone on the desk. "Just dial 9 for an outside line. I'll get you some towels." So saying, she vanished into a side room.

Klaus found himself impressed and crossed to the phone, calling the car rental company. When asked where the car was located, he got the exact specifics as to road names from the woman from the front desk, who as had returned with an armload of towels. Klaus took note of her name tag—Nancy. An intelligent American female. Must have German blood in her.

Within a few minutes, arrangements on dealing with the stranded automobile were made. Nancy verified the Major's reservation and gave him directions to his room. "Will they be bringing your car here, sir?" she asked as she handed him his key.

"They had better," Klaus growled.

Nancy grinned, having put the man's bad-temper down to being soaking wet and not as his actual default setting. "I'll keep an eye out for it." She threw a quick glance at the clock on the desk. It was only four o'clock in the afternoon. "I'm on ‘til midnight. I'll give you a call when it gets here."

Klaus nodded and decided he probably should attempt to be polite. "Thank you. I would appreciate that." He scooped up the dry towels, handing over the wet ones, and then strode off in search of his room.

*

The room was larger than Klaus expected and had one of those large whirlpool tubs in it. Just what I needed after being soaked to the skin. More water. His hair was still dripping, as was everything he had on. After a few minutes, the decision to soak in a tub became more and more appealing. Especially after he found a complimentary robe in his room.

The bath was run in a few minutes and Klaus sank gratefully into the inviting hot water, a sigh of pleasure escaping him. He really enjoyed soaking in a tub. He turned on the whirlpool and leaned back, closing his eyes. Now to relax and enjoy the simple pleasure of just listening to the rain as it fell outside.

Klaus didn't even realize that he had actually dozed off until the phone startled him awake. He was startled again when he heard a very familiar voice answer it.

"Herr von dem Eberbach's room."

Klaus sat up in the tub, seeing Eroica on one of the beds. "What the hell...?"

"Oh, bad luck," Eroica said to the person on the line. He listened a moment and grinned. "Oh, good show. Yes, please do. That would be lovely." He hung up the phone and looked at the officer who was staring wide eyed at him. "Your car won't be repaired until tomorrow, Major," he informed, stretching out and propping himself on an elbow. "But that lovely young woman at the front desk said your luggage is being sent over."

"Good," Klaus heard himself saying. It was bad enough being stark naked in a tub with the Earl in the room. Worse because he had nothing to cover himself with but a flimsy robe when he got out.

It was soon apparent that the Earl was not going to just up and leave. And equally apparent that there was nothing the Major could do about it so long as he remained trapped in the tub. "I'm not even gonna ask how you got in here..."

Eroica took this as a compliment and inclined his head. "Thank you."

"But...I am surprised that you were able to...restrain yourself..."

Eroica grinned, his eyes raking over the man's exposed chest and causing him to sink lower into the water. "You looked so peaceful. I couldn't bring myself to disturb you."

Klaus gave an indignant snort. "You're disturbing me now, so clear off!"

Eroica sat up, throwing a quick glance over to the open bathroom door. Further within was the sodden mass of material that had been the Major's clothes. "My poor Major. Caught in the rain and arriving soaking wet, sans luggage."

"As you can plainly see."

"No, I can't plainly see. But I'd like to."

"No way in hell."

The pair jumped when there was a loud knock at the door. It was followed by a female voice, "Mr. Eberbach? I have your luggage, sir." It was Nancy from the front desk.

Klaus opened his mouth, intending to tell her to leave it. Instead, he was cut off by the Earl. "Just a sec!"

Within a few minutes, the Major's luggage was deposited in his room.

"Well, you have everything you need," Eroica said breezily. He looked out the window. "And the rain's stopped, so I guess I'll be leaving."

While this announcement surprised the Major, he was not about to let the opportunity to be rid of the Earl's presence pass him by. "About time." He waved a hand. "Feel free to leave the country while you're at it."

Eroica let his gaze play over the man's face a moment before giving him a dazzling smile. "When we were in Rome, it was you who interrupted my bath."

Klaus heaved an exasperated sigh. How could he forget! The experience still haunted him.

"Next time, Major, both of us should be naked in the tub," Eroica said. He blew him a kiss as he left the room.

"There will be no next time, bloody pervert!" Klaus thundered after him.

"That's what you think, Major," Eroica said quietly. "There's always a next time."

* * *

Not Exactly A Roman Bath

Rub-a-dub-dub...

The room was larger than Klaus expected and had one of those large whirlpool tubs in it. Just what I needed after being soaked to the skin. More water. His hair was still dripping, as was everything he had on. After a few minutes, the decision to soak in a tub became more and more appealing. Especially after he found a complimentary robe in his room.

The bath was run in a few minutes and Klaus sank gratefully into the inviting hot water, a sigh of pleasure escaping him. He really enjoyed soaking in a tub. He turned on the whirlpool and leaned back, closing his eyes. Now to relax and enjoy the simple pleasure of just listening to the rain as it fell outside.

Klaus's solitude was short lived, interrupted when he heard the soft click of the lock on the sliding glass door. His eyes snapped open and he sat up, cursing himself for having left his gun wrapped in a towel on the floor of the bathroom. Not that it would have done him much good. It was probably too wet to fire.

There was a barely perceptible whoosh of the door being pulled opened, the sound of the rain getting louder for a brief instant as the intruder slipped inside. Then Eroica appeared from behind the drapes. "Oh! I should've known I couldn't sneak up on you," he said in mock disappointment as he entered the room. "And you've started without me."

Klaus moved to stand, only to remind himself at the last second that he was stark naked. "I have not, I..." He sat back in the tub. "My car broke down and I was caught in the rain."

Dorian noticed the sodden mass of material that had been the Major's clothes just inside the bathroom door. "My poor Major," he said, shaking his head. Then he looked around. "Caught in the rain and arrived soaking wet, sans luggage."

"As you can plainly see."

Dorian flashed a bright smile, his eyes raking over the man's exposed chest. "No, I can't plainly see. But I'd like to."

"You pervert."

Dorian started to strip off his damp clothes "Oh, do stop being difficult and move over."

Klaus looked down at the tub and up again.

"A nice hot soak sounds a lovely idea."

Klaus sat staring as the Earl shed his clothes. Then he gave a resigned sigh. "Fine. Get in."

Dorian gave a purr of delight as he slipped into the frothy water of the whirlpool. "So? Do I win? I found you in less than twenty-four hours."

"No." Klaus's eyes narrowed. "You cheated."

This was met with a laugh. "My darling Klaus, I'm Eroica. I always cheat."

Klaus gave him an evil look. "So do I," he replied coolly. "I found that tracking device you planted in my lighter."

Dorian sat back, his eyes wide. "What? How?"

"You are joking?"

"I was sure I'd done a better job than the one in your belt."

"Even a novice agent could've found that." Klaus threw a glance over toward the sliding door as a lightning flash lit up the room. "And I would've been here sooner if that bloody car hadn't broken down in a Goddamn hurricane!"

"The only hurricane here is you." Dorian chuckled at the glaring man, going on to kiss him on the cheek. "Hurricane Klaus."

Klaus replied with a grunt.

"I rather like the rain, you know."

"Good thing. That's all it does in your fucking country."

"Oh!" Dorian splashed water at the man. "How am I supposed to be all seductive when you're like this?"

"Seductive my ass." Klaus pulled Dorian tight against him. "Let's fuck."

Dorian threw his head back and gasped as Klaus started to cover him with hungry kisses. "I love it when you get romantic!"

* * *

For this alternate ending, I had in mind this fan art posted by shuuki in the Schloss March 18, 2006.
It is used here with her very kind permission.